Machine for use in making heels



May 2?, 193%. J, T, KERSHAW MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING HEELS Filed Aug. 31, 1927 //VVE/V 70/1 May UNITED STATES JOHN '1'. KERSHAW, OI HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB 1'0 UNITED SHOE PATENT OFFICE I MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF IBA'IEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 01 NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOB O'SE MAKING HEELS Application filed August 31, 1927. am no. 210,882.

I This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for use in making covered heels for shoes and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for preparing the breasts of heels for the 'reception of paneled breast site lateral margins of the breast and having- -a paneled breast covering comprising a panel portion which is received in the recess and frame portions which overlie the ribs of the I heel breast. On account of the peculiarities in the shapes of the breasts of heels, and more particularly of Louis heels, and because of the necessity of careful work in order to produce the necessary degree of perfectionin the finished heels, the operation of recessing the heel breasts has heretofore required a high degree of skill on the part of the workman and accordingly the paneling operation has been an expensive one, adding materially to the cost of making and covering the heels.

In view of the'foregoingmne object of the present inventionis to reduce, so far as practicable, the expense of heel breast preparing or recessing operations such, for example, as those above described.

To this end, the invention, in one aspect, consists in improved mechanism for operating upon the breasts of heels, comprising means for forming a relatively narrow groove in the breast of a heel, and work gaging means arranged to engage the side of the heel for determining the wid'thwise location of the groove in the heel breast. In the use of the mechanism herein illustrated a groove is formed in each lateral marginal portion of the breast of a heel as a preliminary step in the process of recessing the heel breast and thereafter material is removed from the heel breast adjacent to the inner sides of the grooves, thereby widening and reforming the grooves until they become united to form a single wide recess extending fromone lateral margin of the heelto the other. As illustrated, the means for forming the marginal grooves comprises a device having twin heads each provided with a power-driven end milling cutter and associated work gages, the gages carried by one head being arranged to engage the heel 'at points adjacent to the right-hand edge of the heel breast while the gages carried by the other head are arranged to engage the heel at points adjacent to the left-hand edge of the heel breast. As illustrated the work gages of each head'comprise angularly disposed surfaces arranged to receive between them the corner atone lateral edge of the heel breast, one of said surfaces engaging a portion of the breast and the 'other engaging a portion of the side of the heel immediately adjacent to said corner to determine respectively the depth of the groove and its distance from said corner.' As shown, also, each grooving tool or milling cutter is shaped and arranged relatively to the gages to make a groove which is V-shaped in cross-section, one side of the groove being substantially perpendicular to the surface of the heel breast and the other side' of the groove being inclined with respect to the surface of the heel breast. The means herein illustrated for removing the material between the grooves to complete the recess is-desig'ned to perform this operation in two successive stages and to this end comprises two operating instrumentalities, one of which consists of a-milling cutter shaped to increase the pitch of the inclinedside of the groove and to widen'the groove to substantially half the width of the desired recess, and another operating instrumentality comprising a milling Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale I of one of the cutters for performing the first stage in the recessing operation illustrating its mode of; operation upon a heel,

and also showing the workgages associated 9 forperforming the second stage of the rewith. said cutter;

Fig. 3is a fragmentary cross-sectional v1ew of a heel in process of being operated upon .by' the groove-forming c tter shown in Fig. 2; v

Fig. 4 is adetail view of one of the cutters illustrating the appearance of the heel-breastafter the second stage of the recessing operation has been completed;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the cutter for performing the third stage of the recessing operation, illustrating the manner in which it operates upon'the heel;

Fig. 8 1s a cross-sectional view on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;

. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a Louis heel having a recessed breast;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of a modified form of groove-forming cutter and associated work ga es; and

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing a modification of the cutter for removing material from between the marginal grooves in the breast of a heel. 1

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the apparatus therein shown comprises mechanism A for performing the first step or stage in the'operationof recessing a heelbreast, viz., forming a relatively long and narrow groove in each lateral margin thereof, and mechanisms B and C for performing the two succeeding stages,'viz., widening the marginal grooves formed by the mechanism A and removing the projection in the middle of the heel breast resulting from the operation of the mechanism B.

The mechanism A comprises twin heads 12, 12 mounted at opposite sides of a frame or standard 14 secured to a bench 16. The two heads 12 are provided with rotary cutters and work gages designed to operate separately upon the opposite lateral marginsof a heel breast and, as the parts carried by each head are duplicates of those carried bythe other, a description of one set of parts will suffice for both. The head 12, which in Fig. 1 is located on the left-hand side of the standard 14,- is formed with spaced bearin s 18, 18 for a vertical spindle 20. The spin 1e 20 is provided, between'the bearings 18, with fast and loose ulleys 22, 24 adapted to be driven by a belt not shown) connected with asuitable source of spindle 20 carries a groove-forming tool 26 in the form of an end milling cutter; As

ower. At its lower end the "best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tool 26 is formed with both side and end cutting teeth and the tool is shaped to make a V-shaped cut in the work, such as that shown at 28 in Figs. 2, 3 and- 4. The work is positioned relatively to the cutter 26 by means offsuitably arranged work gaging and guiding devices so that one side of the V-shaped out may be disposed substantially at right angles to the breast of the. heel to constitute one of the edges of the panel to be formed therein while the other side of the V-shaped cut slopes toa ward the iniddle of the heel-breast.

The work gaging and uiding devices comprise a gage roll 30 or determining the widthwise location of the groove and a sur face or shoulder 34 for determining the depth of the groove. The roll 30 iscarried by an angularly disposed fixed'arm 32 and the surface or shoulder 34'is formed at the free extremity of thearm 32 and is disposed at a substantial angle -(illustrated as something more than to the portion of the gage roll 30 that contacts with the work.- The arm 32 is fixedly but adjustably-secured, by means of a set screw 36, to the lower end of a post 38 which is disposed at right angles to the arm and is adjustably but fixedly secured,

by means of a set screw 40, to a bracket 42' secured to the head 12. By loosening the set screws 36 and 40 and suitably adjusting the post 38 and the arm 32,'the gages 30 and 34 may be adjusted relatively to the grooving tool 26 to vary the depth of the groove or the distance between the groove and the edge of the heel breast'or both said measurements as may be desired. As shown the roll 30 isof tapering form to insure engagement of the roll with the heel only in the immediate vicinity of the breast corner even in heels which are spooled or otherwise shaped so that the sides bulge considerably near the breast edges.

The mechanism B comprises a frame 44 secured to the bench 16 and provided with alined bearings 46 fora horizontal spindle 48 adapted to be driven by a belt 50 arranged to. pass over fast and loose pulleys 52 and 54 on the spindle'48. The opposite ends of the spindle 48 extend beyond the bearings 46 and at each end of the spindle there is secured a tool 56 (see also Fig.4) for widening the V-shaped groove formed in the heel-breast margin by the cutter 28. As shown, the tool 56 is in the form of a milling cutter of frustoconical shape adapted to widen and reform one of the marginal grooves 28 from the width and shape shown in Fig. 3 to the width and shape shown at 58 in Fig. 6. In order to insure that the inner edges of the teeth of the cutter 56 shall not enlarge the perpendicular shoulder that forms the outer side of the marginal groove, and to assist in guiding the heel as it is manually presented to the action of the cutter 56, an annular flange 60 is formed at the outer end of a sleeve 62 which isloosely'mounted upon a reduced portion of the s indle 48 between the cutter 56 and an an ar shoulder 64 on the spindle.

The mechanism-C comprises a frame, of the same shape as the frame 44, which is secured to the bench.16 and is provided with alined bearings for a horizontal spindle 68. The

eling'operation, this tool being in the form of a cylindrical milling cutter, best shown at 72 in Fig. 7. To guard against injury to the opposite lateral edges of the recess or panel in the heel breast by the teeth of the cutter 72, guard flanges 73,73 are formed at the inner ends of sleeves 74, 74 which are loosely mounted upon the spindle 68 at opposite sides of the cutter and are frictionally held in place by means of springs 76, 76 surrounding the spindle between the outer ends of the sleeves 74 and annular shoulders 78 and 80 formed on the'spindle. p

- In using the hereinabove-described apparatus-a heel is presented manually, first to the cutter 26 at one side of the mechanism A to form agroove along one lateral margin of the heel breast, and thereafter to the cutter at the opposite side of the mechanism A to form a groove along the other lateral mar- 'n of the heel breast. Preferably, the heel is introduced, toplift end first, into the field of operation of the cutter, the heel being held by the operator in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2 with the corner at the upper lateral edge of the heel breast located in the angle between the surfaces of the gages 30 and 34. The heel is moved backwardly away from the operator and against the cutting tool 26, causing the latter to operate'progressively along the margin of the heel to form a V-shaped groove therein, the operator manually supporting the heel against the thrust of the cutting tool, while manipulating it as is necessary to hold it continuously against both gages. Preferably the heel will be held with its breast face transversely disposed relatively to the cutter at such an angle as to cause the outer side of the V-shaped groove to'be substantially perpendicular to the surface of the breast, but if desired this angular position of the heel may be varied so that the outer side of the groove will be either undercut or beveled in the opposite direction. After a groove has been formed along one margin of the breast of the heel the block is presented to the cutter at the opposite side of the device A and manipulated 1n a manner similar to that already described so that a V-shaped groove similar to the first is formed along the other lateral margin of the breast, the grooves then appearing as shown in Fig.

3 with their outer side walls defining edge faces which are to-constitute the opposite ed es of the recess in the breast.

or the purpose of-removing the. material between the V-shaped grooves 28 the grooved heel is next presented to the mechanism B and thereafter preferably to the mechanism G to remove the: material in two successive stages. The first-stage consists in widening first one groove and then the other to substantially half the width of the recess to be produced, while the second stage consists in removing the remainder of the material necessary to produce a recess of uniform vdepthin the heel breast. As illustrated, the

material to beremoved at this second stage is in the form. of an angular ridge 84 (Fig. 6) left as a result of the first sta e of the operation. In performing the first stage of operations after the forming of the grooves, the grooved heel is presented first to one of as materially to lessen the pitch of these sides;

In Fig. 4, one of the cutters 56 is shown in the operation of widening one of the grooves 28. As also shown in Fig. 4, the breast face of the heel is'presented preferably with its upper or wider end foremost. In this figure the portion of the groove 28 which appears below or in front of the cutter 56 has not been acted upon thereby but the portion 80 which appears above and to the rear of the cutter 56 shows plainly how the relatively narrow groove 28 has been reformed and widened by the action of the cutter. The

dotted lines shown at 82 indicate the outline of the material, extending fromthe bottom of the groove 28 to the middle of the heel breast. which has been removed by the cutter. After the two cutters 56 have operated upon opposite sides of the breast of the heelthe latter appears in cross-section as sho'wn'in Fig. 6.

presenting it to the action of the cutter 72,-

as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. During the operation of the cutter 72 the guard flanges 7 3 at opposite ends of the cutter protect the v shoulders formed at the outer sides of the grooves from being injured. After the cutter 72 has cdmpletedthis operation upon a heel the latterappears as shown in Fig. 9 wherein the recess is indicated .at 86, the depth of the recess being uniform throughout its width and the opposite edges of the recess being defined by shoulders 88 which are arallel to the adjacent lateral edges of the eel breast.

In accordance with a modification of the above described method, the grooves in the breastinstead of being V-shaped in cross-section may be formed with parallel sides, as

' shown 1n Figs. and 11. Toproduce vided, there being shown a stationary gage 92 for'engaging the side of a heel substantially 1 at the breast corner to locate the groove transversely of the breast, and a stationary gage 94, for engaging the edge of the breast surface to determine the depth of the groove. The gage 94 is preferably apertured, as shownv at 96, to permit the cutter 90 to extend therethrough. Preferably a. second cutter 90, together with a second pair of gages similar to gages 92 and 94 but reversely arranged, is emplo ed for forming the groove at the opposite s1de of the heel. When parallel-sided grooves, such as those shown in Fig. 10, are made in a heel block the ma terialbetween the grooves may be conveniently removed by the action of a single side milling cutter, such as that shown at'98 in Fig. 11, this cutter being provided with a guard 100 at one end for protecting the adj acent outer side of the groove from injury. In using the cutter 98 the heel is first moved past the cutter so that the material between the middle of the breast and one of the grooves is removed and thereafter the' heel is turned 180 and the heel again moved past the cutter to remove the other half of the material be tween vthe grooves. I

' The novel method of operating upon the breasts of heels, which method has been described in considerable detail hereinabove, is

not herein claimed but is made the subjectmatter of a copending application SerialNo. 356,214, filed April 18, 1929, the said copending application being a division of this application.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is: I

1. Mechanism for use in operating upon the breasts of heels comprising means for forming a relatively narrow. groove in the breast of a heel, and work gaging means arranged to engage the side of the heel for determining the widthwise location of the groove.

2. Mechanism for use in operating upon the breasts of heels comprising a cutter for forming a relatively narrow groove in one of the, lateral marginal portions of the breast of a heel, a gage for determining the depth of the groove, and a second gage for determining the location of the groove transversely of the heel breast. I

3. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coveringscomprising a cutter shaped to form a groove V-shaped in cross-section in one of the lateral margins of the breast of a heel, and angularly disposed gage surfaces arranged to engage the surface of a heel at opposite sides of one of the corners atthe sides of the heel breast to determine both the depth of the groove and the location of the groove transversely of the heel breast. I

4. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of-heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising a cutter for forming a relatively narrow groove in "one of the lateral margins of the breast of a heel,-

and gages arranged to engage the breast and one of the side faces of the heel in the immediate vicinity of one of the lateral edges of its breast face to position the heel and guide it as it is moved relatively to the cutter, the gages being adjustable in unison in two directions at right angles to each other to vary the depth of the groove and the location of the groove transversely of the heel breast.

5. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising a cutter for forming relatively narrow grooves in the breast of. a heel adjacent to the lateral, margins of the breast, and a gaging device arranged to engage the breast and ,one of the side faces ofthe heel in the'vicinity of the lateral margin of the breast comprising a stationary sur ace-arranged to engage and position the breast surface of the heel and a roll adjacentto said stationary surface and extending therefrom to engage and position the side of the heel. 1

6. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising a cutter for 'formmg relat vely narrow grooves in the breast of a heel adjacent to the lateral mar-- gins of the breast, and a gaging device arranged to engagethe breast and one: of the side faces of the heel in the vicinity of the lateral margin of the breast comprising an arm having a stationary surface arranged to engage and position the breast surface of the heel and a roll carried by said'arm and extending therefrom adjacent to. said stationary surface to engage and position the side of the heel.

7 Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled coverings comprising gaging means adapted to engage simultaneously both surfaces defining one of the lateral breast corners of a heel as the heel is moved heightwise relatively to the gaging means, and means operative during said movement of the heeL to form a relatively-long and narrow groove in the form to insure engagement with the heel only heel breast extending heightwise of the heel, in the immediate vicinity of the breast corner.

said gaging means being arranged relatively to said groove-forming means to guide the heel so as to locate the groove in the lateral margin of the heel breast adjacent to said breast corner.

8. Mechanism for use in preparing .the

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- JOHN T. KERSHAW;

breasts of heels for the reception of paneled coverings comprising gaging means adapted to en age simultaneously both surfaces definmg one of the lateral breast corners of a heel during relative bodily movement heightwise of the heel between the heel and the gaging means, and grooving means operative during said relative movement to form a relatively long and narrow groove in the heel breast extending heightwise of the heel, said gaging means being arranged relatively to said groove-forming means tolocate the groove in the lateral margin of the heel' breast adjacent to said breast corner.

9. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising a cutter shaped to form a groove having angularly disposed side walls, and means for positioning a heel relatively to the cutter so that one side wall of the groove will be substantially perpen-. dicular to the surface of the breast of the heel and for guiding the heel as it is fed past the cutter to insure the formation of a groove extending parallel to one lateral edge of the heel breast.

10. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising means for removing material from the breast of a heel, and gage faces constructed and arranged to engage the surfaces defining one lateral breast corner of the heel for positioning the heel relatively to said means. one of said gage faces being movable to facilitate feeding of the heel past said means.

11. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising means for removing material from the breast of a heel,

' a gage shoulder arranged to engage a lateral margin of the breast of a heel, and a gage roll arranged with its axis substantially perpendicular to said shoulder for engaging the margin of the side of the heel adjacent to said breast margin.

12. Mechanism for use in preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings comprising means for removing material from the breast of a heel, a gage shoulder arranged to engage a lateral margin of the breastof a heel, and a gage roll arranged with its axis substantially perpendicular to said shoulder for engaging, the margin of the side of the heel adjacent to said breast margin said roll being of tapering. 

